British Airways Holidays has merged the Overseas and Purchasing areas of its business into Worldwide and America & Europe commercial departments; streamlined its Sales and Marketing; and centralised its Operations and Customer Service areas.

25 redundancies will be made in the company`s Overseas, Sales and Marketing and Commercial departments. BA Holidays employs 719 staff in the UK.

Announcing the changes, Roger Heape, managing director, British Airways Holidays said, “We have restructured the Commercial areas of the business to compete more efficiently and effectively in the market place of the future.

“The last twelve months has seen a massive concentration of tour operating and retailing power with a rush of take-overs and acquisitions. Four companies now control over 70 per cent of the market and the travel agents they own will demand ever higher levels of commission from independent tour operators.

“Taking cost cutting action now will allow BA Holidays to improve its competitiveness and profitability and protect our reputation for value for money, high quality holidays.

“We now have to look to the future. The streamlining will help ensure that we meet the challenge of the new competitive environment and achieve the company`s profitable growth targets,” said Mr Heape.

He added, “The changes mean that the role of Head of Overseas and Purchasing is redundant and that means Nick Wood will be leaving the company. Nick has made a big contribution to BA Holidays both in the Inbound and Outbound areas of the business. He particularly played a major role in the rapid expansion of BA Holidays` Caribbean business. We wish him well.”

The three other existing senior managers will stay in place: Maxine Gayler (America, Europe and Operations); Stephen Rhodes (Worldwide and Customer Service); and Colin Whaley (Sales and Marketing).

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